5 QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE BUYING A CAR

The idea of buying a new car is quite thrilling, but making the right decision can also be tricky to navigate due to the overwhelming amount of options and the prices involved. In many situations, you can get swept away in the emotional experience and spending can crescendo out of control, which is why it’s important to identify what you need from the car as opposed to what you want. Setting a realistic budget with a strong commitment to adhere to it is extremely important. You should also make sure that your future car will serve its purpose and comfortably accommodate you or your whole family. In order to help you get the most out of your car buying experience, we have a series of questions for you that will help you decide on your dream car.

Many buyers fail to remember to calculate other costs associated with buying a car, such as taxes, legal documentation or even installing some necessary accessories. Even if you account for these additional costs, you still have to be aware of the future costs for things like routine maintenance, fuel, and insurance. So before committing to your purchase, roughly estimate the amount you are going to pay in the long term and see if it outweighs your need for a new vehicle. You should also bear in mind that after a few years, you may want to sell the car and recoup some of the money back but you should consider that not all cars retain the same value. You can get a rough idea of how much money you might be able to sell the car for by taking a look at websites and other ads of older model versions of the car you’re looking at right now. This will help give you an idea about the investment you are about to make. People also now look at monthly payments as a way of estimating the budget. Keep in mind though that monthly payment options will increase or decrease based on the term of the loan and the interest rate which again will be dependent on your creditworthiness and other factors.

If you want to buy the absolute best car possible but have a restrictive budget, you’ll need to respond to this question with perfect honesty. Give careful consideration to how you intend to use the car,. then go through the following checklist:

If so, you should choose a car that offers great mileage, is compact, easy to park and can uphold well with travelling. Or perhaps you want a vehicle that support your social lifestyle? If this is the case, you can choose a car with a beautiful exterior without having to be concerned with mileage or size.

If you will be the one primary driver of the car, you may want something comfortable and relaxing to drive. Cars with additional options like alloy wheels and sports upgrades may look good in writing, but they may make for a less comfortable driving experience and prove irritating during daily commutes. However, if someone else will drive your car, you might be willing to add any extension you want to support the driver’s wishes.

On average, how many passengers will ride in the car? If you are buying the car for your family, this answer should reflect the number of members in your family. Small families with small kids, you can go for a compact car. However, even if you have a family of four, and all of them are adult-sized, you may want to consider bigger and spacious car to accommodate everyone comfortably.

Depending on your personality and day-to-day lifestyle, you may have a certain preference for particular car body styles. However, certain car body types serve various purposes. For example, sedans like the Mercedes Benz or the Toyota Camry are perfect for a small-sized family. They are usually very affordable and have a reasonable amount of space. An SUV or minivan car is good for families with more people and they are equally good for family vacations, while a regular sedan is not. It’s important to keep in mind that if you buy an SUV, the cost of fuel will be significantly higher.

Purchase a brand new car can come with a lot of advantage, like getting the original exact color and specification you want and staying in great condition for years. Being the first owner of a brand new vehicle is truly exhilarating but it’s also extremely expensive. By contrast, a pre-owned car can fit within your budget and you can still get the car of your choice. And if you do your homework and test-drive before buying, it helps guarantee that you will have an excellent driving experience. So be sure to make your purchasing decision based on your budget, as well as your car preference, or at a minimum, the best combination of these two.

Purchasing a car is considered as a long term investment, so if you have defined any type of budget for your car purchase, after you have reached the decision, make sure you’re at ease with your choice. Justify why the decision you are making is the correct for you. Analyze your options and do your research about car prices and other expenses. And although, you cannot know everything about the car after one test drive, it still helps to do all the necessary preliminary tasks. Ask as many questions as you feel are necessary to your dealer; any respectable salesman will be happy to answer anything before you purchase the car. You always have the option to walk away or regroup if you feel you need more time to make a smarter decision. It’s possible to find a better deal after ten minutes or perhaps have an even better purchasing experience.